Power slide device for vehicle slide doors

ABSTRACT

The present powered sliding device includes a wire drum ( 16 ) connected to a vehicle sliding door ( 11 ) through wire cables ( 18, 19 ), a motor ( 14 ) for rotating the wire drum, a clutch mechanism ( 25 ) provided between the motor and the wire drum, a first rotational member ( 85 ) rotated integrally with the wire drum, first detection means ( 86 ) for detecting the rotation of the first rotational member, and a housing ( 74 ). The housing includes a first space ( 76 ) accommodating the wired drum and communicating with the outside of the housing through the wire cables and a second space accommodating the first rotational member and the first detection means, and a housing body ( 73 ) provided between the first space and the second space for zoning the first space and the second space.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a powered sliding device for use of avehicle sliding door, and in particular, it relates to a housingaccommodating movable parts and electrical equipment of the slidingdevice.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional typical powered sliding device comprises a wire drumconnected to a sliding door through a wire cable, a motor for rotatingthe wire drum, a clutch mechanism provided between the wire drum and themotor, and a sensor for detecting a rotation of the wire drum. Thesignal from the sensor is used for finding a moving velocity of thesliding door and the like.

The sensor and the wire drum are provided in the same space within ahousing of the sliding device. This is because the sensor needs todirectly detect the rotation of the wire drum. If the sensor is designedso as to detect the rotation of the motor, the sensor is unable todetect the movement of the sliding door when the clutch mechanism is inan uncoupled state.

The housing is designed in such a way that dust and rainwater do notenter the interior as little as possible. However, the inside of thehousing is communicated with the outside of the housing through the wirecable which connects the sliding door and the wire drum. When a wirecable is wound up by the rotation of the wire drum, the dust andrainwater adhered on the wire cable easily enter into the inside of thehousing, thereby giving damages to the electrical equipment such as thesensor and the like.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an improvedhousing of the powered sliding device for use of the vehicle slidingdoor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a relation between a poweredsliding device according to the present invention and a sliding door;

FIG. 2 is a development view of the sliding device and the sliding door;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the sliding device;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an uncoupled state of aclutch mechanism of the sliding device;

FIG. 5 is a front view of a motor plate of the clutch mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first coupled state ofthe clutch mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second coupled stateof the clutch mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where a wiredrum is rotated in a door-closing direction from the first coupled stateshown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a first brake state ofthe clutch mechanism;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a second brake state ofthe clutch mechanism;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the wiredrum is rotated in a door-opening direction from the first brake stateshown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state where the wiredrum is further rotated in the opening direction from the state shown inFIG. 11 to make the clutch mechanism into the uncoupled state;

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a block circuit for performing controloperations of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a housing of the sliding device; and

FIG. 15 is a front view showing the housing of the sliding device.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the present invention will be described with referenceto the drawings. A mechanical constitution of a powered sliding device10 of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1 to 12 is the same as themechanical structure previously proposed by the present applicant (referJapanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-201858, U.S.2002/0088180A1, GB2371333A, DE10164363A1).

FIG. 1 shows a schematic relation between a powered sliding device 10and a vehicle sliding door 11 which is slidable in a closing directionand an opening direction by the powered sliding device 10. FIG. 2 showsa relation that the both of them are developed. The powered slidingdevice 10 has a motor 14, a reduction mechanism 15, a wire drum 16 andan auxiliary brake 17, and they are mounted on a base plate 12 fixed ona vehicle body 13. The auxiliary brake 17 has an electric control partsuch as a solenoid or the like. The auxiliary brake 17 applies therotation resistance to the wire drum 16 when actuated.

One end sides of two wire cables 18 and 19 are coupled to the wire drum16. Other end side of the first cable 18 is coupled to a bracket 21 ofthe sliding door 11 via a front side pulley 20 which is pivotallyattached to the vehicle body 13. Similarly, other end side of the secondcable 19 is coupled to the bracket 21 via a rear side pulley 22pivotally attached to the vehicle body 13. When the wire drum 16 isrotated clockwise, the first cable is rewound as well as the second wirecable 19 is derived, so that the sliding door 11 is slid in the closingdirection. When the wire drum 16 is rotated counterclockwise, thesliding door 11 is slid in the opening direction.

A tension case 23 with tension springs (not shown) is fixed on the baseplate 12 by screws, and a predetermined tension is applied to each ofthe cables 18 and 19.

As shown in FIG. 3, a clutch mechanism 25 is substantially stored in arelatively large inside space 24 of the wire drum 16. The clutchmechanism 25 has a first coupled state for transmitting the closingrotation of the motor 14 to the wire drum 16, a second coupled state fortransmitting the opening rotation of the motor 14 to the wire drum 16, afirst brake state for transmitting the closing rotation of the wire drum16 to the motor 14, a second brake state for transmitting the openingrotation of the wire drum 16 to the motor 14 and an uncoupled state fortransmitting neither the closing rotation nor the opening rotation ofthe wire drum 16 to the motor 14.

A drum shaft 26 of the wire drum 16 is rotatably attached with an outputgear 27, a motor plate 28 and a sleeve 29, respectively. The output gear27 is coupled to the motor 14 via the reduction mechanism 15. The outputgear 27 and the motor plate 28 are integrally coupled by coupling pins30 as one piece. Hence, in FIG. 4 and the figures similar to FIG. 4 isshown only the motor plate 28 as a final member of the motor 14 side forsimplifying the figures. A disk-like clutch plate 31 is rotatablyattached to a periphery of the sleeve 29. A friction spring 34 isprovided between the clutch plate 31 and a flange 32 of the sleeve 29via a tray 33. The spring 34 applies a comparatively low rotationalresistance to the clutch plate 31.

The clutch plate 31 has, on outer edge portions thereof, boss portions35, 36 shown by the cross section in FIG. 4 to which clutch arms 37, 38are rotatably attached by arm shafts 39, 40, respectively. The clutcharms 37, 38 respectively have, on the tip side thereof, slide pins 41,42 which are slidably engaged with guide slots 43, 44 formed in themotor plate 28, respectively.

The guide slots 43, 44 are bilaterally symmetrical as shown in FIG. 5.The guide slots 43, 44 respectively comprise circular arc inner slots45, 46 around the drum shaft 26, circular arc outer slots 47, 48 aroundthe drum shaft 26, and communication slots 49, 50 connecting the innerslots 45, 46 and the outer slots 47, 48. Each of the gaps between insidewalls 51, 52 and outside walls 53, 54 of the communication slots 49, 50is expanded as it is apart from the drum shaft 26. Semicircular engagingportions 55, 56 are respectively formed at one sides of both outer slots47, 48. The other sides of the outer slots 47, 48 are respectivelyformed into contact faces 57, 58 which are flush with the outside walls53, 54 with no difference in level.

Although the details will be described later, for example, when themotor 14 is rotated in the closing direction, the motor plate 28 rotatesclockwise in FIG. 4, while the slide pin 42, as shown in FIG. 6, movesrelatively toward the outer slot 48 within the guide slot 44. In thisway, the clutch arm 38 is pushed in the direction of the arrow A so asto engage with the wire drum 16. However, since the other slide pin 41merely moves within the inner slots 45 and is not pushed outside, theother clutch arm is not engaged with the wire drum 16.

On the inner surface of the wire drum 16, plural projections 59projecting toward the drum shaft 26 are formed at uniform intervals. Atthe tips of the clutch arms 37, 38, clutch pawls 60, 61 projecting inthe direction apart from the drum shaft 26 are respectively formed. Onesides of the clutch pawls 60, 61 are respectively formed into couplingfaces 62, 63 substantially parallel with the radial direction of thedrum shaft 26. On the other sides of the clutch pawls 60, 61, brakedents 64, 65 are respectively formed.

FIG. 13 is a block circuit diagram for performing a control operation inaccordance with the present invention. The block circuit has acontroller 66, an ammeter or a load detector 67 to measure the electriccurrent flowing through the motor 14, a battery 68 on the vehicle body13, an operation switch 69, a motor switch 70 and a stop switch 71.

The operation switch 69 has an open position for rotating the motor 14in the opening direction, a close position for rotating the motor 14 inthe closing direction and a neutral position. When the operation switch69 is pushed, the controller 66 slides the sliding door 11 toward theclosed position or the open position by the power of the motor 14.

The motor switch 70 is preferably arranged in the vicinity of a driverseat of the vehicle body 13, and the motor switch 70 has an openposition for rotating the motor 14 in the opening direction, a closeposition for rotating the motor 14 in the closing direction and aneutral position. When the motor switch 70 is operated, the poweredsliding device 10 is activated, and when the motor switch 70 is turnedoff, the powered sliding device 10 is stopped. Accordingly, it ispossible to stop the sliding door 11 at a desired semi-open positionbetween a full-closed position and a full-open position by the operationof the motor switch 70. This is convenient in the case that a driverdoes not wish to open the sliding door 11 widely due to strong windand/or strong rain.

The stop switch 71 is used in the case of stopping the sliding door 11,which is slid under the control of the controller 66, at the semi-openposition.

Since the detailed operations of the clutch mechanism 25 and theauxiliary brake 17 can be understood by referring to Japanese PatentApplication Laid-Open No. 2002-201858, U.S. 2002/0088180A1, GB2371333A,DE10164363A1, the description thereof will be omitted in the presentapplication.

FIG. 14 shows a housing 74 constituted by the metal base plate 12, ametal cover plate 72, and a resin housing body 73 between the plate 12and the plate 72. The housing body 73 comprises a partition wall 75extending to the base plate 12. A first space 76 and a third space 77zoned by the partition wall 75 are formed between the base plate 12 andthe body 73. A second space 78 is formed between the cover plate 72 andthe body 73.

The auxiliary brake 17 of the powered sliding device 10 is accommodatedsubstantially inside the third space 77. A brake gear 80 fixed to oneend of a brake shaft 79 of the auxiliary brake 17 is engaged with a ringgear 82 attached to the wire drum 16 through a coupling gear 81. Thecoupling gear 81 is disposed in a small communication port 83 betweenthe base plate 12 and the partition wall 75, and the third space 77 isisolated from the first space 76 as far as possible. The brake shaft 79is always coupled with the wire drum 16 without being affected from theclutch mechanism 25 and is rotated faster than the wire drum 16 when thewire drum 16 is rotated. A rotational resistance is applied to the brakeshaft 79 so as to control the rotation of the wire drum 16 when theelectromagnetic coil of the auxiliary brake 17 is activated.

The other end of the brake shaft 79 projects inside the second space 78by crossing over the housing body 73. A disc 85 comprising a number ofmeasuring slits 84 is fixed to the other end of the brake shaft 79. Thedisc 85 is located inside the second space 78. The rotation of the disc85 is detected by an photo sensor 86 provided inside the second space78. The controller 66 can perform an arithmetical operation of arotational speed, a rotational amount and a rotational direction of thewire drum 16 by a signal from the photo sensor 86.

The wire drum 16, the clutch mechanism 25 and the like of the poweredsliding device 10 are accommodated substantially inside the first space76. A central boss portion 87 of the wire drum 16, in which the drumshaft 26 is inserted, projects inside the second space 78. The bossportion 87 is rotatably attached with a cum gear 88. The cum gear 88receives the rotational movement of the boss portion 87 through planetgears 89, and rotates about 360 degrees when the sliding door 11 movesbetween the opened position and the closed position. Position switches91, which detect the position of the cum gear 88 (position of thesliding door) by contacting with a cum portion 90 of the cum gear 88,are provided in the second space 78. The detection signal from theposition switches 91 is used for detecting the full-open position andthe full-closed position of the sliding door, and the position of thesliding door 11 under sliding by the motive power of the motor 14 isfound by a signal from the photo sensor 86.

The outside of the cover plate 72 is attached with a vibration isolatingrubber 92 as desired.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

The first space 76 of the housing 74 is communicated with the outside ofthe housing 74 through the wire cables 18, 19 which connects the slidingdoor 11 and the wire drum 16. Hence, when the wire cables 18, 19 move bythe rotation of the wire drum 16, dust and water adhered on the wirecables 18, 19 can easily enter the interior of the first space 76.However, in the present invention, since the electrical equipment suchas the photo sensor 86, the position switches 91 and the like which havepoor dust and water resistance are disposed in the interior of thesecond space 78 substantially isolated from the first space 76 by thehousing body 73, it can be expected that the electrical equipment arekept in a good condition for long.

The electrical equipment disposed in the interior of the second space 78can receive repairing and maintenance services more easily by removingthe cover plate 72.

Two pieces of the members rotated by the rotation of the wire drum 16,that is, the disc 85 and the cum gear 88 are disposed in such a manneras not to be laid one upon another in an axial direction of the drumshaft 26, and the disc 85 rotates about the brake shaft 79, and the cumgear 88 rotates about the drum shaft 26. When disposed in such a manner,the thickness of the sliding device 10 in the axial direction of thedrum shaft 26 can be made thin.

The disc 85 attached to the brake shaft 79 rotates faster than the wiredrum 16. Hence, a slow rotation or a limited rotation of the wire drum16 is favorably reflected on the rotation of the disc 85, so that thephoto sensor 86 can accurately detect the rotation of the wire drum 16.

1. A powered sliding device for a vehicle sliding door comprising: awire drum connected to a wire cable and sliding the vehicle sliding doorby performing winding and pulling out the wire cable when rotated; amotor for rotating the wire drum; a clutch mechanism provided betweenthe motor and the wire drum; a first rotational member being rotatedintegrally with the wire drum; first detection means for detectingrotation of the first rotational member; a housing; wherein said housinghas a first space accommodating the wire drum and communicating with theoutside of the housing through the wire cable and a second spaceaccommodating the first rotational member and the first detection means;wherein a housing body zoning the first space and the second space isprovided between the first space and the second space.
 2. The poweredsliding device for the vehicle slid door according to claim 1, furthercomprising an auxiliary brake applying brake resistance to the wiredrum, wherein said auxiliary brake has an brake shaft being rotatedintegrally with the wire drum, and one end of the brake shaft isprojected into the interior of the second space, and the firstrotational member is fixed to the one end of the brake shaft.
 3. Thepowered sliding device for use of the vehicle slid door according toclaim 2, wherein said brake shaft is connected to the wire drum so as torotate faster than the wire drum when the wire drum is rotates.
 4. Thepowered sliding device for use of the vehicle slid door according toclaim 2, wherein said housing has a third space divided from the firstspace so as to be communicated with the first space through a narrowcommunication port by a partition wall of the housing body, wherein saidauxiliary brake is accommodated in the third space so that the brakeshaft is parallel with a rotational axial line of the wire drum, andwherein said wire drum and said brake shaft are connected with eachother by way of transmitting means passing through the communicationport.
 5. The powered sliding device for use of the vehicle slid dooraccording to claim 4, further comprising a second rotational memberbeing rotated integrally with the wire drum about the rotational axialline of the wire drum and second detection means for detecting therotation of the second rotational member, and wherein said secondrotational member and said second detection means are provided in theinterior of the second space.
 6. A powered sliding device for a vehiclesliding door comprising: a wire drum connected to a wire cable andsliding the vehicle sliding door by performing winding and pulling outthe wire cable when rotated; a motor for rotating the wire drum; aclutch mechanism provided between the motor and the wire drum; a firstrotational member being rotated integrally with the wire drum; firstdetection means for detecting rotation of the first rotational member;an auxiliary brake applying a brake resistance to the wire drum; ahousing; wherein said housing has a base plate, a cover plate and ahousing body located between the base plate and cover plate; wherein afirst space is formed between the base plate and the housing body, and asecond space isolated from the first space is formed between the coverplate and the housing body; wherein a third space which is divided fromthe first space so as to be communicated with the first space through anarrow communication port by a partition wall of the housing body isformed between the base plate and the housing body; wherein said wiredrum is disposed in the first space, and said first rotational memberand the first detection means are disposed in the second space, and saidauxiliary brake is disposed in the third space; wherein said auxiliarybrake and said wire drum are connected with each other by way oftransmitting means passing through the communication port.